Advanced Editing and Interfacing in User Applications

Abstract

A content editing device and/or a program product provides advanced editing functionality for use within user applications having editable content on a user interface. The device provides automatic paste/insertion functionality following a selection of a destination/end location within the document and a subsequent selection of content for insertion at the selected end location. An editor moves content around within the document by tagging the end location and simply selection the content that is to be moved/copied to that end location. The device further enables efficient re-arrangement of multiple individual content blocks within a single document or across multiple documents by tagging each content with a sequence number indicative of the relative location of that content within the desired re-arranged sequence of content. Once the content has been tagged, a selectable option automatically orders the content in correct sequence relative to each other and/or to existing content in the resulting document.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display;   one or more input devices capable of receiving user input selections;   a processor communicatively coupled to the display and to the one or more input devices and which executes one or more applications that provide editable content;   a utility that executes on the processor concurrently with one or more executing applications and which configures the electronic device to:
 receive a first input which marks a first location within the editable content as an end location for later insertion of content that is not yet selected, wherein an ending location to which content is to be placed is identified prior to selecting the content; 
 following receipt of the first input marking the first location, detect a selection of specific content at a second, original location, wherein detecting the selection of specific content includes receiving a second input providing at least one of a cut operation and a copy operation for the selected specific content; and 
 in response to the specific content being selected following receipt of the first input marking the first location, automatically insert the specific content at the first location within the editable content, wherein the automatically inserting comprises automatically populating the first location with the selected specific content following detection of the second input to perform one of the cut operation and the copy operation on the selected specific content at the original location. 
   
     
     
         2 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the utility further configuring the device to:
 store the first location in response to receipt of the first input;   monitor for receipt of the second input; and   display a first message at the original location indicating that the selected specific content has been inserted at the first location.   
     
     
         3 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the utility includes code that configures the processor to execute a retrieve and insert operation that performs the automatic insertion of the specific content at the first location. 
     
     
         4 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the utility further configuring the device to display a second message at the first location indicating the original location from which the specific content that is inserted at the first location via a retrieve and insert operation originated. 
     
     
         5 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the utility further configuring the device to:
 present one or more options on one or more pre-selected ending locations; and   enable selection of an insert function that is displayed in order to populate the pre-selected ending location with the specific content, wherein the specific content is automatically populated upon selection, following an initial selection of the ending location.   
     
     
         6 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the utility further configuring the device to:
 in response to the specific content being automatically inserted, place a special marking reflected within the specific content to enable an editor to quickly view the specific content at the first location as newly inserted content.   
     
     
         7 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , the utility further configuring the device to:
 implement, responsive to user input, one or more undo options to enable an undo of the insertion, wherein a special undo feature is provided along with the specific content and any content that is automatically inserted into an end location via a retrieve and insert operation, wherein the special undo feature both removes the specific content from the ending location and causes a cursor to jump back to the original location, whereby a reminder of the original location of the specific content is provided.   
     
     
         8 . The electronic device of  claim 1 , wherein the utility further configures the device to: enable a special undo feature to reinsert the content in the original location, in response to the specific content having been originally cut from the original location. 
     
     
         9 . A program product comprising a readable storage device and program code for a utility stored on the readable storage device that when executed by a processor within an electronic device having one or more executing user applications configures the device to perform the functions of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The program product of  claim 9 , the utility further configuring the electronic device to:
 store the first location in response to receipt of the first input;   monitor for receipt of the second input;   display a first message at the original location indicating that the selected specific content has been inserted at the first location; and   optionally, based on a user configuration of the utility, display a second message at the first location indicating the original location from which the specific content that is inserted at the first location via a retrieve and insert operation originated.   
     
     
         11 . The program product of  claim 9 , the utility further configuring the electronic device to:
 present one or more options on one or more pre-selected ending locations; and   enable selection of an insert function that is displayed in order to populate the pre-selected ending location with the specific content, wherein the specific content is automatically populated upon selection, following an initial selection of the ending location.   
     
     
         12 . The program product of  claim 9 , the utility further configuring the electronic device to:
 in response to the specific content being automatically inserted, place a special marking reflected within the specific content to enable an editor to quickly view the specific content at the first location as newly inserted content.   
     
     
         13 . The program product of  claim 9 , the utility further configuring the electronic device to:
 implement, responsive to user input, one or more undo options to enable an undo of the insertion, wherein a special undo feature is provided along with the specific content and any content that is automatically inserted into an end location via a retrieve and insert operation, wherein the special undo feature both removes the specific content from the ending location and causes a cursor to jump back to the original location, whereby a reminder of the original location of the specific content is provided; and   enable a special undo feature to reinsert the content in the original location, in response to the specific content having been originally cut from the original location.   
     
     
         14 . An electronic device comprising:
 a display;   one or more input devices capable of receiving user input selections;   a processor communicatively coupled to the display and to the one or more input devices and which executes one or more applications that provide editable content;   a utility that executes on the processor concurrently with one or more executing applications and which configures the electronic device to:
 receive a first input which marks a first location within the editable content as an end location for later insertion of content that is not yet selected, wherein an ending location to which content is to be moved is identified prior to selecting the content; 
 following receipt of the first input marking the first location, detect a selection of specific content at a second, original location; 
 in response to the specific content being selected following receipt of the first input marking the first location, automatically insert the specific content at the first location within the editable content; and 
 implement, in response to a specific user input, one or more undo options to enable an undo of the insertion, wherein a special undo feature is provided along with the specific content and any content that is automatically inserted into an end location via a retrieve and insert operation, wherein the special undo feature both removes the specific content from the ending location and causes a cursor to jump back to the original location, whereby a reminder of the original location of the specific content is provided. 
   
     
     
         15 . The electronic device of  claim 14 , wherein in response to the specific content having been originally cut from the original location, the special undo feature reinserts the content in the original location. 
     
     
         16 . The electronic device of  claim 14 , the utility further configuring the device to:
 store the first location in response to receipt of the first input;   monitor for receipt of the second input;   in response to the specific content being automatically inserted, placing a special marking reflected within the specific content to enable an editor to quickly view the specific content at the first location as newly inserted content;   display a first message at the original location indicating that the selected specific content has been inserted at the first location; and   optionally, based on a user configuration of the utility, display a second message at the first location indicating the original location from which the specific content that is inserted at the first location via a retrieve and insert operation originated.   
     
     
         17 . The electronic device of  claim 14 , the utility further configuring the device to:
 present one or more options on one or more pre-selected ending locations; and   enable selection of an insert function that is displayed in order to populate the pre-selected ending location with the specific content, wherein the specific content is automatically populated upon selection, following an initial selection of the ending location.   
     
     
         18 . A program product comprising a readable storage device and program code for a utility stored on the readable storage device that when executed by a processor within an electronic device having one or more executing user applications configures the device to perform the functions of  claim 14 , wherein in response to the specific content having been originally cut from the original location, the special undo feature reinserts the content in the original location. 
     
     
         19 . The program product of  claim 9 , the utility further configuring the electronic device to:
 store the first location in response to receipt of the first input;   monitor for receipt of the second input;   in response to the specific content being automatically inserted, placing a special marking reflected within the specific content to enable an editor to quickly view the specific content at the first location as newly inserted content;   display a first message at the original location indicating that the selected specific content has been inserted at the first location; and   optionally, based on a user configuration of the utility, display a second message at the first location indicating the original location from which the specific content that is inserted at the first location via a retrieve and insert operation originated.   
     
     
         20 . The program product of  claim 9 , the utility further configuring the electronic device to:
 present one or more options on one or more pre-selected ending locations; and   enable selection of an insert function that is displayed in order to populate the pre-selected ending location with the specific content, wherein the specific content is automatically populated upon selection, following an initial selection of the ending location.